Vehicle for conveying trolleys

ABSTRACT

A vehicle for conveying trolleys have driving wheels activated by a control assembly to engage and advance one or a series of trolleys. A reel assembly is detachably engageable with the leading trolley and supports a first anchoring line which secures the trolleys to the vehicle and a second control line which is connected to the control assembly and which made be pulled or tensioned to control operation of the vehicle.

This is a continuation of Ser. No. 07/768,624, filed Sep. 27, 1991 nowabandoned.

TECHNICAL FIELD

This invention relates to improvements to vehicles and in particular toa vehicle for conveying, lifting, towing or propelling various loads.

BACKGROUND ART

The collection of trolleys in the vicinity of supermarkets creates anumber of problems. It is important of course for such trolleys to becollected as quickly as possible and delivered back to the store for useby other customers. Trolley collection in many instances is undertakenby hand however, there is a limit to the number of trolleys that can becollected using this method. Whilst there has been proposed in the pasta vehicle for collecting and conveying trolleys such a vehicle requiresa considerable amount of space for working and conveyance of thetrolleys is achieved by loading the trolleys onto the apparatus.

DISCLOSURE OF THE INVENTION

The present invention aims to provide a vehicle which in a first aspectis suitable for moving supermarket trolleys or an engaged stack of suchtrolleys in a reliable and efficient manner. The present invention alsoaims to provide apparatus which occupies little space and which may beused both indoors and outdoors. The present invention also aims toprovide a vehicle which in addition to being suited for trolleycollection as aforesaid is capable of many other applications. Otherobjects and advantages of the invention will become apparent from thefollowing description.

The present invention thus provides a vehicle for use in conveyingtrolleys or the like, said vehicle having a mobile chassis including atleast one drive wheel, a drive motor on said chassis, means forselectively coupling said motor to said drive wheel so as to causeadvancement of said vehicle, means for engaging a trolley or a series ofsaid trolleys and coupling means for coupling said vehicle to saidtrolley or trolleys.

Suitably said coupling means comprises a line which extends between thetrolley or leading trolley in a series of said trolleys and saidvehicle. Suitably the vehicle includes an upstanding handle whichenables the vehicle to be manipulated and suitably, also the vehicleincludes at least one castor wheel to permit easy steering of saidvehicle.

The line which couples the vehicle to the trolley or trolleys ispreferably wound upon a spring biased reel which may be coupled to theleading trolley whilst a further line also extends between the leadingtrolley and the vehicle so as to be operable to cause motive force to beapplied from the drive motor to the driving wheel or wheels of thevehicle. The vehicle may also include a brake which serves to preventmovement of the vehicle when the vehicle is not being driven.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

In order that the invention may be more readily understood and put intopractical effect reference will now be made to the accompanying drawingswhich illustrate a preferred embodiment of the invention and wherein:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the vehicle of the invention;

FIG. 2 is a partly sectioned plan view of the vehicle of FIG. 1 with thecowling removed;

FIG. 3 is a side elevational view of the vehicle;

FIG. 4 is a rear partly sectioned elevational view of the vehicle;

FIG. 5 is an elevational view of the coupling reel assembly for thevehicle;

FIG. 6 is a sectional view along line 1--1 of FIG. 5;

FIG. 7 illustrates operation of the apparatus of the invention.

BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION

Referring to the drawings and firstly to FIG. 1 there is illustrated avehicle 10 according to the present invention which includes a chassis11 which supports a pair of opposite driveable wheels 12 at the rear endof the vehicle and a single castor wheel 13 at the forward end of thevehicle, the latter being supported for free rotation between a pair ofarms 14, the arms 14 being supported on the chassis 11 for free pivotalmovement about a substantially vertical axis. The chassis 11 supports asdescribed further below a drive motor for the vehicle and as well as atransmission which is enclosed within a cowling 15 which renders themechanism weather proof, the cowling 15 suitably being formed of amoulded glass reinforced plastics material.

Secured to the chassis 11 and holding the cowling in position is ahandle assembly 16 which as more clearly shown in FIGS. 2 to 4 includesan upwardly extending U-shaped gripping handle 17 which is inclinedrearwardly and which merges into a V-shaped frame 18 portion whichextends over the top of the cowling 15 so as to protect same fromdamage. The frame 18 includes opposite pairs of brackets 19 which aresecured through the cowling 15 to the chassis 11 by conventional bolts.The V-shaped frame 18 is further secured to the chassis 11 by bolts at20 and similarly the handle 17 is secured to the chassis 11 by bolts at21. The handle 17 is separable from the remainder of the handle assembly16 at 22 with internal spigots 23 being provided to enable joining andreparation. Thus removal of the bolts at 21 will permit the U-shapedhandle 17 to be removed to permit easy transport of the vehicle.

Referring further to FIGS. 2, 3 and 4 which illustrate further detailsof the vehicle 10, the chassis 11 as shown defines a compartment 24includes angle sections 25 for supporting one or more batteries 26 whichserve to supply current to a drive motor 27 as described below. Accessto the battery compartment 24 is achieved by detaching the handleassembly 16 from the chassis 11 which permits the cowling 15 to belifted from the vehicle 10.

The respective driveable wheels 12 are supported on respective stubaxles 28 which are secured to opposite sides of the chassis 11 and thewheel hubs 29 are mounted rotatably on the axles 28 via bearings 30.Mounted on the drive shaft 31 of the motor 27 is a sprocket 32 whichdrives through a chain 33 a larger sprocket 34 mounted at one end of atransmission shaft 35 which projects outwardly at one side of thechassis 11 at 36 and which is connected through a differential 37 to afurther shaft 38 which projects of the other side of the chassis 11.

The respective shafts 35 and 38 are fitted with driving sprockets 39which are connected through chains 40 to sprockets 41 secured to thewheel hubs 29. Thus when the motor 27 is driven, drive is transmitted toboth wheels 12 whilst the differential 37 permits the wheels to berotated at different speeds when the vehicle 10 is being turned. Chaintensioning wheels 42 are provided to maintain tension in the chains 40.

The drive shaft 31 of the drive motor 27 also carries a brake wheel 43.A brake arm 44, including a brake pad 45 is pivotally mounted to thechassis 11 at 46 and is normally biased into engagement with the wheel43 by a spring 47 to brake the motor 27 when the vehicle is notoperating. A solenoid 48 is provided to disengage the brake arm 44 fromthe wheel 43 to release the wheel 43 and motor 27 when the vehicle 10 isoperating; the solenoid 48 for this purpose including an actuating arm49 coupled to the brake arm 44.

The handle 17 also carries a control assembly 50 for controllingoperation of the vehicle, the control assembly 50 including a controlarm 51 secured to the shaft of a potentiometer 52 which is electricallyconnected by means of a cable (not shown) to a motor controller 53.Pivoting the arm 51 in opposite directions causes the motor 27 to bedriven in opposite directions and thus the vehicle 10 to move in aforward or reverse direction. The extent of pivotal movement of the arm51 also varies the current supplied to the motor 27 and thus the speedof the vehicle 10. A spring bearing arrangement is provided to normallybias and return the arm 51 to a neutral central position where nocurrent is applied to the motor 27. When the arm 51 is moved away fromits neutral position, the brake solenoid 48 is activated to move thebrake pad 45 away from the wheel 43 to release the brake.

The control assembly 50 also carries a key activated switch 54 forplacing the vehicle in an operational mode and a socket 55 so as toenable recharging of the batteries from a remote source.

The control assembly 50 further includes a bracket 56 secured to thehandle 17 and the bracket 56 includes a hook 57 for supporting a reelassembly 58 (see FIG. 5) and an eyelet 59 for attachment of a connectingline as more clearly described below. The arm 51 also carries aanchoring point 60 to which a further control line can be connected asalso further described below.

For control of the vehicle 10 in use, the reel assembly 58 shown inFIGS. 5 and 6 is provided, the reel assembly 58 including a pair of sidearms 61 terminating in hooks 62 which engage over a trolley in use. Thearms 61 also rotatably support a spool 63 which includes a disc 64 atone end provided with a plurality of circumferentially spaced apertures65 and a hollow housing 66 at it opposite end for housing a tensionspring 67 normally tending to rotate the spool 63 in one direction.

A hollow tube 68 also extend between the arms 61 and a locking pin 69extends through the tube 68 and is provided with a knob 70 at one endand a return portion 71 at its other end which is adapted for engagementwith a selected aperture 65 to lock the spool 63 against rotation. Thelocking pin 69 is biased by a spring 72 to the locked position of FIG.6.

The spool 63 supports a pair of cables or lines 73 and 74 which arerespectively coupled at one end to the eyelet 59 and anchoring point 60and the spool 63 at their opposite ends.

The V-shaped frame 18 also including a coupling hook assembly 75includes a pair of pivotally mounted hooks 76 secured to a U-shapedhandle 77. The hooks 76 are normally biased to the position of FIG. 2 bymeans of a spring 80.

In use and as shown in FIG. 7, the vehicle is moved to a position intoalignment which a plurality of trolleys 78 arranged in a stackedrelationship. Alternatively, the control arm 51 may be operated to causethe motor 27 to drive the wheels 12 and cause the vehicle to be moved tothe position shown. During this movement, the reel assembly 58 isnormally supported from the handle 17 via the hook 27. The V-shapedleading frame 18 facilitates location of the vehicle 10 as shown partlybeneath the trailing trolley 78. The coupling hook assembly 75 may thenbe used to positively couple the vehicle 10 to the trailing trolley 78.

The reel 58 may then be detached from the hook 57 and coupled over theframe member 79 of the leading trolley 78 by means of the hooks 62 withthe knob 70 being depressed to permit rotation of the spool 63 andunwinding of the line 73 and 74. Thereafter the knob 69 is released tolock the spool 63 when the reel assembly 58 is coupled as shown.

Tension may then be applied to the line 74 so as to cause pivotalmovement of control arm 51 carrying current to be supplied to the motor27 and the vehicle 10 to be driven. At the same time, the solenoid 48 isactivated to release the brake. The vehicle 10 and stacked trolleys 78can then be steered from the leading trolley 78 to a drive position.When the line 74 is released, the arm 61 connected to spool 63, overwhich the line 74 is wound, returns to its neutral position and thebrake solenoid 48 released so that the brake arm 44 is moved intobraking engagement with the brake wheel 43.

The vehicle 10 may be in many other configurations than that describedabove and may if desired include a pair of steerable or caster wheels.Furthermore, the control lines 74 may be directly connected to a switchsupported on the vehicle chassis 11 to control motor operation.

In a further configuration, the function of the lines 73 and 74 may beachieved by the use of a single line or cable. Other control mechanismsknown in the art may be employed for controlling the drive motor. Thedrive motor may also comprise an internal combustion motor although anelectric motor is preferred.

All other variations and modifications to the invention as would beapparent to persons skilled in the are deemed to fall within the broadscope and ambit of the invention as defined in the appended claims.

I claim:
 1. A vehicle for conveying mobile loads of at least one trolleycomprising a mobile chassis having at least one drive wheel, a drivemotor on said chassis selectively operable for transmitting drive tosaid drive wheel, and coupling means for coupling said vehicle to saidmobile load, said coupling means comprising a line extending from saidvehicle and being releasably attached to the leading end of said load,and control means for remotely controlling the operation of said drivemotor, said control means including a further line extending from saidvehicle and being releasably attached to the leading end of said loadwhereby application of drive to said drive wheel may be controlled fromsaid leading end of said load.
 2. A vehicle according to claim 1,including a movable control arm for controlling the operation of saiddrive motor, said further line being connected to said control armwhereby tension applied to said further line causes movement of saidcontrol arm.
 3. A vehicle according to claim 2 wherein said drive motorcomprises an electric motor and wherein movement of said control armcontrols the application of current to said motor.
 4. A vehicleaccording to claim 2, including means for retracting said lines.
 5. Avehicle according claim 4, wherein said retracting means includes a reelassembly, said reel assembly being adapted for releasable coupling tothe leading end of said load.
 6. A vehicle according to claim 5 whereinsaid reel assembly includes a rotatable spool about which said lines arewound, biasing means associated with said spool for causing said spoolto normally retract said lines and releasable lock means for lockingsaid spool against rotation.
 7. A vehicle according to claim 1,including brake means for preventing movement of said vehicle when saidvehicle is not being driven, said brake means being disengaged uponactivation of said drive motor.
 8. A vehicle according to claim 7,wherein said brake means includes a brake wheel driven by said drivemotor, a brake member normally biased into engagement with said brakewheel and solenoid means for releasing said brake member upon motivationof said drive motor.
 9. A vehicle according to claim 1 and including anupstanding handle from which said vehicle may be manipulated andsteered.
 10. A vehicle according to claim 1 and including at least onecastor wheel to permit steering of said vehicle.
 11. A vehicle accordingto claim 1, wherein said coupling means further includes latch meanswhereby said vehicle may be selectively engaged with an adjacent portionof said mobile load.
 12. A vehicle for conveying mobile loads of atleast one trolley comprising a mobile chassis having at least one drivewheel, an electric drive motor on said chassis selectively operable fortransmitting drive to said drive wheel, battery means supported on saidchassis for supplying current to said drive motor, control means forcontrolling the application of current from said battery means to saiddrive motor, a reel assembly releasable attachable to the leading end ofsaid load, said reel assembly carrying first and second lines, saidfirst and second lines being connected to said vehicle, said first linebeing adapted to be extended between said vehicle and said reel assemblyfor coupling said vehicle to said mobile load, and said second linebeing adapted to be extended between said vehicle and said reel assemblyand coupled to said control means for remotely controlling operation ofsaid drive motor, whereby application of current from said battery meansto said drive motor and thus drive from said drive motor to said drivewheel may be controlled by application of tension to said second linefrom said leading end of said load.
 13. A vehicle according to claim 12,wherein said reel assembly is operable to retract said first and secondlines.